


Four Dozen Eyes

by LunasWufei



Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [46]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21837739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunasWufei/pseuds/LunasWufei
Summary: Disclaimer: Same as the rest of my stuff, I don’t own anything except the plot.New idea, it’s been awhile since I had one of those. Well, not new, but new for me. Though, I can see how people would say it resembles my world serpent snippet. Eh. Second year, Hogwarts starts at 13 instead of 11, for reasons. As I said, second year, because it fits for this idea. Mostly, if not completely, feel good stuff in here. Here we go.
Relationships: Harry Potter/OC
Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [46]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556170
Comments: 6
Kudos: 85





	Four Dozen Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Same as the rest of my stuff, I don’t own anything except the plot. 
> 
> New idea, it’s been awhile since I had one of those. Well, not new, but new for me. Though, I can see how people would say it resembles my world serpent snippet. Eh. Second year, Hogwarts starts at 13 instead of 11, for reasons. As I said, second year, because it fits for this idea. Mostly, if not completely, feel good stuff in here. Here we go.

  
  


Fourteen year old Harry Potter grumbled as he walked through the halls of Hogwarts, the place he had begun to call home the past year or so. His reason for grumbling? The feast. He had nothing against the normal feast, that was fine, but it was Halloween. Everyone was celebrating this day, a holiday of sweets as well as the anniversary of the loss of his family. That was what bothered him, the fact that everyone celebrated while they left him in his own misery. He was not a bitter child, not as much as he should be, but this day was a sore spot for him. 

  
  


He sighed as he walked along the halls, another agitating thought coming to him as he did so. He had been hearing voices lately, well a single voice to be exact. He couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from, but he heard it every so often when he was wandering the halls. Even worse? He was the only one who heard it. He huffed at that thought, shaking his head as he continued to walk the halls. He rounded the corner when he heard a rather  _ hated _ voice. 

  
  


“What are you doing, Potter?” Severus Snape said, his tone barely hiding his vitriol for the boy of his heated (though dead), rival. “The feast begins in twenty minutes, and you are far from the great hall.” He drawled, walking towards the boy who turned to look at him. “The feast is mandatory, or do you think yourself better than everyone?” He asked, scoffing with derision, glaring at the boy. 

  
  


“I was headed back to my dorm, Professor.” Harry said, not about to give this man anything to agitate him even more. “I am bringing my books back from the last class.” He hefted his bag gently, and he had been headed back to his dorm. Snape sneered softly, but nodded. He was about to dock points, but the corner of his eyes spotted a portrait not so subtly looking at him. 

  
  


“Don’t be late, Potter.” Snape said, before turning, cloak billowing behind him. Harry snorted when Snape was gone, and then proceeded to go back to his dorm. He placed the bag of his books and supplies on his trunk before sitting on his bed. He lay back onto the bed with a soft sigh, and a groan as he closed his eyes. He’d get in a world of trouble if he missed the feast, that is if anyone even noticed. No, he had to go to the feast. Not so much to not get in trouble, but because he was rather hungry. Lunch had been so long ago, but… he could wait a little longer, maybe a small nap first. 

  
  


~FDE~

  
  


He woke up with a soft snort, and a quick flick of his wand showed he was about an hour or so late. He grumbled and got up, maybe he’d make it in time. The feast lasted a bit longer on the holidays, anyway. He got up with a stretch, before he made his way out of the tower, walking towards the feast. He then frowned and groaned when he heard the voice, again. 

  
  


_ “So many possible friends… and all I can do is watch. A shame… so lonely.” _ The voice said, and Harry grumbled to himself. 

  
  


“Bloody brilliant, I keep hearing voices. They are going to put you in a nuthouse, Potter.” Harry said to himself as he walked, then he was surprised at hearing the voice again. It responded to him, and he froze.

  
  


_ “Asylum, young speaker, it is called an asylum.”  _ The voice said, and he looked around, before he saw the wall in front of him shimmer and then a figure moved from the wall like it was made out of water. Harry stepped back, wand in hand, before getting a good look at the… being in front of him. It took him a moment, before his brain started to catch up with what he was seeing. 

  
  


It was a female in front of him, that he was sure of, with curved form and ah… assets. Thankfully she was clothed, at least her upper half. There was no need for it on her bottom, snake half. She literally slithered out of the wall and came up towards him with a sway of her form. It would have been rather seductive if it was not for how rather bloody terrifying she was. Her skin was pale, lack of sun he assumed, and her eyes were gold. Not amber, or a nice yellow, but actual gold. They had slits, like a snake obviously, and then he blinked again when he saw her hair  _ move _ . 

  
  


“Gorgon…” Harry said, whispered more so, stepping back again, closing his eyes and turning away. 

  
  


“ _ You are a speaker. If you were affected by my gaze, you would be stone already.”  _ She said, and he peeked from his arm, ever the Gryffindor. 

  
  


“What are you talking about?” Harry asked, and she smiled, and it looked… kind of nice. He shook his head and then looked at her, just as she smiled with a tilt to her head. 

  
  


_ “I am not speaking what you call English, young speaker.” _ She said, and went on.  _ “I speak the language of the serpents. It is called, in your words,  _ Parseltongue.” She said, the last word in an almost broken form of English. 

  
  


“I can talk to snakes?” Harry asked, more to himself, before he groaned and remembered the incident with Dudley. Of course he could talk to bloody snakes, the motif of Slytherin of course. No, he couldn't talk to lions, or griffins or anything. It had to be snakes. “Wait.” He said, looking up at her. “You can speak English?” He asked, and she shrugged softly before making a ‘so-so’ motion with her hand. 

  
  


“Poorly, I have slept for many years, young one.” She said, before thinking and speaking again. “I am called Stheno, named after my mother.” Stheno said, before she hissed and all of her snakes did the same, looking behind them, before there was a soft ~thump~. 

  
  


_ “I must leave now, know that you are not… out of your mind.” _ Stheno said, before she moved quickly, and was gone with a blink of an eye. Harry then saw what caused the other sound, and he hit his head against the wall. Mrs. Norris was petrified, and that would not be good for him. Harry sighed and then picked her up, she was literally stone so she was a bit heavier. He grumbled and started walking with her to the infirmary, coming across another odd sight. 

  
  


**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE!**

  
  


That was written on the wall, and he tilted his head softly in confusion. He did not notice the group of students gathering, as the feast was just letting out. He was startled from his thoughts from the sound of a teacher’s voice. 

  
  


“Mr. Potter!” Prof. McGonagall said, making him twitch and look back, turning with Mrs. Norris in his hands. 

  
  


“Mrs. Norris?” Filch said, before he bustled over and snatched the stone cat from Harry’s arms. “What did you do to her!? I’ll thrash you!” He said, snarling deeply as he did so. 

“Argus, calm yourself!” Dumbledore said, a little more forcefully than expected, but his caretaker was incensed. “Now, Mr. Potter, perhaps you can tell us what has transpired here?” He asked Harry, and before Harry could respond Filch did. 

  
  


“He killed Mrs. Norris, he did! Look… stiff as a board!.” Filch said, sniffling between growls of anger. 

  
  


“She is not dead, Argus simply… petrified.” Dumbledore said, running his wand over the stone cat. 

“Ah, a shame I was not here.” Prof. Lockhart said, pompous as he always was. “I could have reversed it had I been here. A terrible shame, really.” He said, nodding with a soft, almost constant grin on. 

  
  


“Mrs. Norris will be fine, Argus, the mandrakes are growing for reversing such a thing.” Dumbledore said, Pomona always had mandrakes growing, they helped fund the school’s various extra activities. 

“Yes, I am sure they will be perfect for brewing. I myself know quite the techni-” The pompous blowhard started, before he was interrupted. 

“I am the potions master here, Gilderoy, remember this.” Snape said, before turning to look at Harry. “You were not at the feast, Mr. Potter, care to tell us why?” He said, and he couldn’t wait for the paltry excuse from the Potter spawn. 

“Oh, I was sleeping… you know.” Harry started, glaring softly. “I am not a fan of being around people celebrating the day my parent’s  _ died _ .” He nearly snarled out, and Snape took a step back, his own glare a little lessened. While he hated half of the child’s parentage, he was not completely… heartless. 

“I think that would be a good enough reason, Headmaster, don’t you?” Flitwick asked, and the headmaster nodded. 

  
“Indeedly so, Filius.” Dumbledore said, looking at Harry with sorrowful eyes. “Alright, everyone… off you trot. Back to the dorms.” He said, moving the students along with his words and his gestures to shoo them away. Harry sighed as he started to move, it would be a pain in the ass tonight. Everyone would be asking him asinine questions, and he hated that. 

  
  


~FDE~

  
  


“ _ I have not seen the young speaker in quite some time… I hope he is well. _ ” Said Stheno, and Harry was walking with Hermione and Ron when he heard it. He cursed softly and then kneeled, to tie his shoes. 

  
  


“Go on, guys, i’ll see you at the dueling club.” Harry said, and his two friends shrugged before going off. When he couldn’t see them anymore, he spoke closer to the wall. 

“I am here, and I am doing well. It’s hard to find you, you know.” Harry said, not overly loud, but hopefully enough to be heard. 

_ “Ah, young speaker! It is good to hear from you again. I am glad you are indeed healthy and well.” _ Stheno said, before slipping out of the wall again. Harry cursed softly and surprised the gorgon by taking her by the hand, and leading her into a nearby empty room. 

  
  


“You can’t just slide out of the wall in the middle of the day!” Harry almost hissed out, ironically so. “If someone saw you, it would have been chaos.” He said, but smiled softly, she was just lonely. He couldn’t fault her for that.

  
  


“ _ Yes, you are correct. Non speakers will shift before my gaze _ .” Stheno said, frowning softly, thinking. “ _ That will make gathering friends… Hazardous. _ ” She said, sitting down on her large lower body, on her coils. 

  
  


“Yeah, a bit.” Harry said, chuckling lightly before giving her a smile. “Look, how… how about we meet here in a few hours? We can talk, just relax, you know?” He offered, and she nodded, starting to move around the rather large abandoned classroom. He smiled again at her, before moving out of the room and locking it with a spell he learned on one of his late night library runs. 

  
  


~FDE~

  
  


“ _ Back away… move from the frightened child _ .” Harry said, though it came out as a hiss to everyone. They all gasped, Harry was a parseltongue? He was the heir! The snake tilted its head, looking at Justin Finch-Fletchley, who was shivering in complete terror. “ _ Come to me, beautiful one. Let me care for you.”  _ He said, and the snake seemed to puff up in appreciation before starting to slither towards Harry. Justin whimpered and almost slumped into his friend, watching the snake move away from him. 

“Ah, don’t worry, i’ll take care of it!” Lockhart said, wand brandished, he yelped when he was hit with a quick ‘ _ Expelliarmus.’ _ from Harry, who glared at him. “Mr. Potter!” He said, and Harry huffed. 

“You were no doubt about to do something stupid,  _ professor _ .” Harry said, kneeling to let the rather venomous snake swirl and curl up his arm to around his neck. 

“What are you playing at, Potter!” Justin exclaimed, looking all the bit of rage and fear of a boy nearly bitten by a snake.

“Oh shut your gob you bloody idiot!” Harry said, not in the mood to deal with anything like this. He knew where it would go, he was not as stupid as some thought he was. “I was telling her to move away from you, why do you think she’s around my neck?” He said, huffing, and then pointed at Draco. “If you want to blame anyone, blame the daft blonde.” He said, before he turned and started walking off the platform. Merlin, people were stupid. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


People were  _ really _ stupid, it seemed. He was apparently the evil heir of Slytherin, and he was going to target all muggleborns and half bloods. It was enough to just… ugh! He wanted to scream. The snake had vanished after a few hours, she had just been temporarily summoned from her home. He enjoyed talking with her, and then he had remembered he had a meeting with Stheno, and he did not like breaking promises. He was looking forward to talking to her, as well. 

He had arrived at the room again, after leaving his two friends in the common room, unlocking it and entering to see her slightly snoozing against one of the walls. She snorted softly when he closed and locked the door, and he came over to her and sat down on a dusted off chair. He watched her sleep for a good few minutes, before he transfigured a blanket out of some old parchment. He was getting better at magic, thanks to his late night sessions. He enlarged it and then covered her with it, enjoying the soft smile on her face as she snuggled into the blanket. He left a note, written in parselscript, before he left, locking the door behind him again. He’d find her again, hopefully soon, and just chat. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Harry said to himself, as he looked at the prone form of Colin Creevey, as he was brought into the infirmary. He had been petrified, and even though Harry was in the infirmary for his mending arm, everyone would think he was responsible. He grumbled softly and crossed one of his arms, shaking his head softly. Merlin he wanted to throw books at all of these people, idiots that they were. 

  
His arm healed overnight, and after a weird conversation with a house elf, he was sent to the headmasters office. Apparently because of rumors, the headmaster had to act and speak to the most plausible ‘suspect’. Harry huffed and entered the headmaster’s office, sitting down and crossing his arms. 

  
  


“Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. I trust your arm is better?” Dumbledore asked, and Harry nodded with a soft shrug. “Good, good.” He said, before offering one of his lemon-drops, smiling as Harry took one with a muttered ‘thank you’. 

“Why am I here, headmaster?” Harry asked, not looking anywhere but the headmaster, who had his hands steeped together, elbows on the desk. 

“Rumors, Harry, are both wonderful and terrible.” Dumbledore started. “They can be a source of great amusement, or that of bothersome nuisance. We are here today, to see which one we are dealing with.” He said, before leaning back. “You have been unofficially charged, by the students, with petrifying others. Is there anything you wish to tell me?” He asked, his tone soft but there was no room for argument or debate here. 

  
  


“I don’t kno-” Harry started, before he sighed softly, he could tell Dumbledore, right? “Yes, yes I do have something to tell you.” He said, looking up, almost resigned. Dumbledore nodded and sat up straighter, waiting for the explanation. 

“Her name is Stheno, and she has been lonely for a while.” Harry said, humming in thought before going on. “She is a gorgon, headmaster, I met her about a month ago.” He said, sighing and looking up at the rather surprised headmaster. “Mrs. Norris was an accident, and she was probably looking for me when she ran into Colin.” He said, sighing and slumping softly. 

  
  


“I assume, Harry my boy, that you are immune to her gaze?” Dumbledore asked, and at Harry’s nod he hummed. “She does not mean the students harm?” He asked, and Harry shook his head. 

  
  


“Not at all, sir, she is lonely and knows that normal beings can’t look at her face, otherwise they’re petrified.” Harry said, and Dumbledore nodded, stroking his beard lightly. It took him a few minutes of quiet contemplation, before he spoke. 

  
  


“Perhaps, Harry… we can work around this… issue, hmm?” Dumbledore said, a plan already in his mind. 

  
  


“How so, sir?” Harry asked, hoping his friend would not be harmed. 

  
  


“As you very well know, this is a rather large castle, yes?” Dumbledore started, and when he got a nod from Harry he went on. “Perhaps one of the multitudes of empty rooms could be used to house your friend, hmm?” He said, smiling, eyes twinkling brightly. “I am also certain there are ways around her troublesome gaze, as I would very much like to speak with her… for purely academic reasons, I assure you.” He finished, and Harry seemed to be thinking, before he spoke. 

  
  


“I’d have to ask her, of course. I don’t know if she would like being in the same place all the time, it's not like I can control her or anything.” Harry said, and Dumbledore nodded in understanding. 

  
  


“Yes, of course, my boy.” Dumbledore said, before something else grabbed his attention. “Perhaps you can, at the very least, ask her how it is she has not been noticed until now?” He asked, and Harry nodded, that would be an easy thing to ask. “Marvelous! Now, before we are off to lunch, is there anything else?” He asked, and Harry seemed to think, before his eyes went wide and he nodded. 

  
The next half an hour or so was spent, in rather deep detail, the lengths to which that weird elf, Dobby if he remembered, had gone to in order to keep him from coming to Hogwarts. It took long enough that Dumbledore had an elf bring them both lunch, so they would not miss the meal. That action, of course, did not help with the rumor mongering in the great hall. Harry would just have to deal with it later, more than likely, but he was actually enjoying the conversation he was having with his headmaster, especially after it went away from issues, and more towards academia and the like. 

  
  


“Ah! You must forgive an old man and his ramblings, Harry, it is nearly three in the afternoon!” Dumbledore said, after the clock struck said time, both of them deep in a conversation about the goings on from a student’s point of view. “I will let you know when the room is set up, if you shall do the same for your lady’s response?” The older man asked, and Harry nodded, standing and stretching softly. 

  
  


“Marvelous, off you trot then, don’t want your friends getting worried, hmm?” Dumbledore said, and Harry snickered softly before nodding, and heading out of the office with a farewell of his own. Dumbledore sat down, absentmindedly summoning a book he needed, and opening it up to start reading. He needed to do some research. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


Harry was subjected to another week or so of the stares, the whispers, before he just learned to ignore it. He was called, once more, to the headmaster’s office, though this time Prof. Flitwick was there, smiling softly, almost giddily, as was Hagrid. The three elder males turned to Harry as he entered, and Dumbledore gestured for him to sit. 

  
  


“Good afternoon, my boy.” Dumbledore said, and Harry smiled softly at him. “I do believe, with the help of Filius and Hagrid, that we have come up with a solution to our little… problem with your friend.” He said, and Harry perked up. He had met Stheno a few times in the last week, and was eager to help his new friend. 

  
  


“Blimey… a gorgon. Never got to see one, alive that is. Beautiful things they are, though.” Hagrid said, and Harry nodded, blushing softly at the words from his largest friend. 

  
  


“Through some complicated charms work, some I have not had to use in years.” Flitwick said, downright gleeful of that. “The headmaster and I have come up with a lovely little spell. It will not harm her, but it will prevent her gaze from exiting her eyes. It might be a bit disorienting at first, but nothing permanent.” He said, lightly bouncing in his seat. Harry chuckled but smiled, nodding softly. 

  
  


“Um… me and her, kind of, have a pattern. Every other day we meet in one of the hallways, always a different one, so that she isn't accidentally discovered if I am being followed or something.” Harry said, and then, realizing what that sounded like, he cleared his throat. “Not that I think I am being followed, but with how some of the students are still… afraid of me.” He said, and shrugged, and Dumbledore nodded. 

  
  


“Excellent, my boy. Now, I think it would be best for us to teach you the spell. While we can cast it already, we have no protection in order to do so.” Dumbledore said, and Harry nodded. They spent the greater part of the day gently instructing the teen, because while it was not a complicated spell, it was a new one, even for them. 

  
  


By the end of the day, Harry could honestly say he got the spell down pretty well. It would create a small, magical barrier, that fed on the magic of the one it was cast on. It was meant just for magical sight, and only magical sight. He started to walk the halls the next day, the day to meet with his friend, softly whispering in parseltongue, waiting for responses. It wasn’t until he got to the fifth floor that he heard a whispered response, and it made him smile. He followed, and then, in yet another abandoned classroom, sitting on her coiled lower half, was Stheno. 

  
  


_ “Harry, good to see you.”  _ Stheno said, and he closed the door, coming to her for a small hug. The gorgon hummed and gave him a soft squeeze in return, kissing his cheek gently, which made him blush ever so softly. 

  
  


“ _ Are you doing alright? No problems getting here?” _ Harry asked, cleaning the room a bit, before sitting on a chair, his friend shaking her head lightly.  _ “Well, good.” _ He said, and then they lulled into a small conversation. About an hour or so later, he brought up the spell that he had been taught how to cast. It was odd to see his friend frown, because when she did the other snakes did as well. Her form undulated softly, and Harry had to look away as it was rather tantalizing, and he did not want to be disrespectful and downright rude. 

  
  


“ _ Would I be allowed, Harry, to see the other students then? Perhaps make more friends?”  _ Stheno asked, and Harry smiled. He had already gotten word that yes, she could be out and about, so long as the spell was on her. It would be spoken in Parseltongue, so some smart-ass student couldn’t dispel it.

  
  


_ “Yes, yes you would be. The headmaster has even offered for you to take classes, but you won’t be able to use a wand.”  _ Harry said, huffing softly at that, but he understood. Not that she would be dangerous, but the law classified her as a beast, so she was not allowed a focus. 

  
  


_ “This is fine, proceed, Harry.” _ Stheno said, and Harry nodded before he ran the spell in his head again, and then cast it on her. He had to do it for each snake head, but that was fine, as it did not take a lot of power for it. A lot of the magic required was borrowed from the castle, and her own magic as well. It took about ten minutes, though, as they were snakes and were very wriggly. 

  
  


_ “There we go.” _ Harry said, sitting down.  _ “How do you feel?” _ He asked, and she blinked a few times, before her sight and that of her snakes, cleared after the settling of the magic. 

  
  


_ “It is an… odd sensation. It does not itch, but it feels like it should. I do not know the proper word.” _ Stheno said, and Harry frowned. 

  
  


_ “It tingles?” _ Harry asked, and she nodded with a smile.  _ “Ah, that’s the magic settling into your eyes, it shouldn’t last very long.”  _ He said, smiling softly, and it indeed did not last long at all. By the end of their time together it had dissipated, and she learned it would be something that only Harry could remove. 

  
  


_ “Well, I should get going, before my friends start getting worried.” _ Harry said, it was nearly dinner time after all. Stheno nodded and walked with him to the door, when he turned for their customary hug, he was surprised when she took his chin, and have him a soft, chaste kiss. 

  
  


_ “You are a good friend, I thank you, Harry. Perhaps I can meet the others who call you friend.”  _ Stheno said, and Harry nodded, face flush with shyness. Then, when next he blinked, it was to her moving into the wall, Merlin she was fast… and her lips had been so very soft. He then blinked again, right… he had to get to dinner. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


“Harry, where are you taking us?” Hermione asked, sighing ever so softly. This was time she could be spent studying, not that she felt her friendship was lesser than school, but with Fraud-hart as their teacher, they needed everything they could get. 

  
  


“I told you, it’s a surprise, there is someone I want you to meet.” Harry said, gleeful for the chance to introduce his friends to each other. “I finally get the chance to do that.” He said, smiling, and Hermione sighed softly. Alright, it was rare that Harry was  _ this _ enthusiastic about something, she might as well go with it. Ron was fine with it as well, it got him out of studying. 

  
  


“Here we are.” Harry said, before poking his head into a doorway, whispering some things, and then nodding. “Alright, come on in.” He said, before opening the door, and ushering in his two friends. He closed the door and saw Ron blinking, slowly, in clear apprehension. Hermione had her wand out, as Stheno was just sitting on her coils, head tilted. 

  
  


“Whoa, whoa!” Harry said, forcing Hermione’s hand down. “She’s the friend, her name is Stheno.” He said, and Hermione looked at him sharply. 

  
  


“As in the Eldest of the three immortal Gorgons, Harry?” Hermione all but hissed out, and then her eyes were drawn to Stheno who hissed softly, slowly working her way over. 

  
  


“No, that was her mother.” Harry said, as if it was no big deal. “She died several hundred years ago in Greece, along with her aunts.” He said, and then he translated for his most unusual friend. “She says you have your history mostly right, but it was Euryale who was oldest, by about a year.” He said, and Hermione blinked. 

  
  


“Alright, so why are we not stone right now, mate?” Ron asked, with a soft shudder in his tone. 

  
  


“A spell made by the headmaster and Prof. Flitwick.” Harry said, greeting his friend with a hug, and a kiss to cheek as she did the same to him. “She can still see, but he gaze is nullified.” He said, and Hermione and Ron nodded, but they were a still hesitant. “I wanted to introduce her to my friends, she is one of them, you know.” He said, and they sat down on chairs that had been brought there. 

  
  


What came after that was a conversation that went from slightly awkward, to an almost easy, fluid talk between friends. Stheno spoke a bit in English, but it wasn’t the best or the fastest, and his friends understood when she had to slip into her normal tongue and have it translated. Stheno surprised the trio of teens when she turned to the side, about lunch time, and spoke. 

  
  


“Elf?” Stheno asked, and a few seconds later there was a soft ~pop~, a house elf arriving. 

  
  


“Who calls for Zipsy?” The elf, Zipsy, said, before looking at the kids and then the gorgon before her. Her large, tennis ball eyes blinked and then her magic twitched. “Oh! You’se be the old, old master’s friend. What can Zipsy be doing for you.” She asked, and Stheno spoke softly, and slowly. 

  
  


“Lunch, please. We do not want to scare those in the great hall.” Stheno said, and Zipsy nodded before popping away. Not a moment later, there was a table with a rather nice spread, enough for the four beings in the room. “Thank you, Zipsy.” She said, and the elf bowed, almost brought to tears when shortly after the trio of teens did the same. 

  
  


“What was that?” Hermione said, sipping from the provided beverages. 

  
  


“A house elf.” Ron said, matter-of-factly. “They serve wizarding families, and there’s a ton of them in the kitchens, s’what the twins say, at least.” He said, before he started to hork down some food.

  
  


“Servants? How are they paid?” Hermione asked, Ron shrugging lightly before speaking. 

  
  


“They’re not.” Ron responded, as if it was obvious.

  
  


“They are slaves?!” Hermione all but screamed, indignation rising in her tone. She was about to speak again, no doubt in anger, when she heard Stheno speaking rapidly, though it was of course to Harry in her native tongue. Harry held up a hand and hissed back, clearly she was going to fast for him, and she nodded and spoke slower once more. He stopped her with a finger to her lips, and then said something, and she nodded and turned to Hermione. 

  
  


“They are not slaves, they are servants, there is a difference.” Harry said, and he was clearly translating. “The elves live to serve, and only the most terrible of families treat their elves like slaves.” He said, continuing to translate. “The elves get the satisfaction of helping their many, many ‘little masters’ as they call them, and the magic of the castle bolsters them.” He said, then turned to Stheno. “Really? I didn’t know that last part.” He said, and she nodded and he turned back to Hermione. 

  
  


“If they go without a master, or a large magical property or environment to stick to, they die. It’s a…” Harry paused, as she was looking for the word, he filled it in for her. “Symbiotic relationship.” He said, and she nodded to that. 

  
  


“So they are paid in magic, and gratitude?” Hermione said, still frowning. Harry nodded, and she huffed and crossed her arms. “I suppose that is OK, so long as they are not hurt.” She said, before huffing again, and starting to eat as well. 

  
  


“They prefer to let their actions speak for themselves, which is why you’ll see me thanking thin air sometimes.” Harry said, smiling. “So long as I don’t go overboard with my praise and thanks, they are alright with it.” He said, and Hermione nodded, before the four of them continued talking. It was nearly dinner when they stopped, Hermione figuring they should be seen at dinner. 

  
  


“Makes sense, I guess.” Harry said, not wanting to be away from his newest friend for very long. He did, however, understand. They got up, and after some gentle farewells, once more Stheno let Harry depart with another chaste kiss, though this time he returned it just as softly. The three teens watched her vanish into the wall, and Harry got a thump to his shoulder by Ron, who was smirking. 

  
  


“Only you, Harry.” Ron said, and Harry shrugged and blushed softly, Hermione snorting and walking with them. The two teens teasing Harry, and asking him if he was an item with the rather sweet, albeit deadly, Gorgon. Harry merely shrugged, and mumbled something about asking her at another time, getting a snicker from Ron and a pat on the shoulder from Hermione. They were going to tease him for a while, he was sure. 

  
~FDE~

“If I can have your attention please.” Dumbledore said, one morning in December, rising as he did so. “Thank you.” He said, when he got silence, as he walked to the podium. “Every now and then, something wonderful happens within these walls. Besides the magic that already flows through each of us.” He said, eyes twinkling. “Today, we have an event that has not occurred in… nearly five hundred years. A Middle of the year sorting.” He said, and there were mumbles of surprise and interest as the Sorting Hat appeared on his podium. 

  
  


“Happy Winter, good children. No song this time, still working on the one for next year.” The Hat said, and there were soft chuckles and still whispers. 

  
  


“I must ask, and this is a very serious request.” Dumbledore said, his tone belaying that it was more of a very calmly worded demand. “That everyone remain calm, this new one to be sorted will in no way harm any of you.” He said, and there were even  _ more _ whispers and mumbles. “If you please, dear lady.” He said, and from the wall slithered, literally, Stheno. She was wearing a robe fashioned for her, with a small smile on her face. 

  
  


“Ah, it's good to be in your presence again, my lady.” The Hat said, and the Gorgon nodded her head at him. “I have been wanting to sort you for centuries, and I finally get the opportunity!” He said, laughing and she giggled softly before shifting so she was facing the students, the hat being put on top of her head. It took a little bit, but eventually the hat bellowed out its decision. 

  
  


“HUFFLEPUFF!” It screamed, and the hat was removed. “You got yourself a good one there, Pomona.” The hat said, ‘looking’ at Prof. Sprout, who seemed to puff up a bit. “Til next year, children!” The hat said, before it vanished back to the headmasters office. Stheno already on her way to the table of the badgers, the trim on her robes shifting to the proper colors. 

  
  


“Well, what a marvelous occasion! Let lunch commence.” Dumbledore said, the tables filling with said lunch, as some of the braver, older ‘Puffs scooted closer to talk to the slightly bashful new addition. She had not been around so many children in such a very long time, but she was eager to make plenty of friends. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


“A gorgon, Dumbledore?” Lucius Malfoy said, his drawl smooth and oily, as per the usual. “A seriously dangerous creature, and you have it around students?” He said, as condescending as possible. 

  
  


“A danger, yes, should she have her gaze unchecked.” Dumbledore said, not at all phased by the tone of the elder Malfoy. “However, it is, and it is perfectly fine.” He said, smiling. “The students adore her, and she has many tales of years past. I see no issue with it, truly, Lucius.” He said, leaning back, popping a lemon drop into his mouth, eyes soft. 

  
  


“Ah, therein lies the problem, Dumbledore.” Lucius said, shaking his head in faux disappointment. “You do not see the problem. It is of no matter, however.” He said, taking out a piece of rolled parchment, handing it to the aged headmaster. Dumbledore unrolled it and read it, humming softly as he did so. He then rolled it back up and closed it, before taking it back. 

  
  


“Were I rude, and uncultured, I would simply burn that.” Dumbledore started, his tone going from grandfatherly to hard, and then getting colder. “However, I will simply say this.” He said, before leaning forward to stand, and then placing his hands on the desk in front of him. The stare that Lucius Malfoy got before he spoke made him lean back, and the words that came from Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards in living memory, made him pale. 

  
  


“If ever you return here again, with such a terrible collection of words on a piece of parchment, I will use every bit of power I retain, both magical and political, to bury you.” Dumbledore said, tone chilling. “I will bury you so deep, your Son and Wife will wonder if the name Malfoy was something gifted to them by the Wizengamot. There will be no Lucius Malfoy anymore. He will _cease to be_.” He said, eyes no longer like the sky in their color, but the roiling, treacherous sea. “Is that understood?” He asked, tone sharp. 

  
  


Lucius, for his part, was rather calm. Yet it did not take a genius to know inside he was wrought with fear. “Yes, of course, Headmaster. I will of course make sure to spread the word as well.” Lucius said, before standing up, with as much dignity as he could muster. “If you will excuse me.” He said, and then made (measured) haste to the floo, and was then gone. Dumbledore looked at the parchment and then with a flick of his wand it was set ablaze and the ashes scattered. 

  
  


“One word, Phineus, and I will forget why I keep you around.” Dumbledore said, a portrait having been about to speak, but it kept quiet. Dumbledore nodded, not even been looking at the portrait, before going back to his paperwork, to calm himself before dinner. 

  
~FDE~

  
  


Stheno frowned as she moved through the walls, listening to the words that had woken her up from her decades long slumber. Her form came out behind a smaller one in her chamber, the one that had been made for her mother and aunts by Salazar Slytherin, his ‘lost’ Chamber of Secrets. Her eyes slitted in anger, and like the serpent she was she struck out one of her snakes on her head did the same, biting into the form in front of her. It was a paralytic venom, easily countered by magic and even some non-magical means, but it did it’s job. She caught smaller form as the venom went to work, and was surprised that it was the younger sibling of Harry’s friend Ronald. Ginvera, if memory served her right. Sitting in her pocket, though, was a piece of dark filth that just… it was wrong on many levels. 

  
  


Stheno sighed and picked her up, easily doing so as the girl was almost skeletal, the dark magic the culprit. With the child in hand, she made her way out of the chamber, into the walls of the castle. One of her snake heads poked out from the wall at her destination, and seeing just object of her search alone, she popped her head out. 

  
  


“Headmaster?” Stheno asked, her English having improved. Partly from being around so many students who spoke the language, and the teaching from her boyfriend (A recent development). 

  
  


“Who’s there?” Dumbledore said, looking up from his work, only to turn to see Stheno’s head popping from between one of his shelves. He blinked and chuckled, before waving her to him. “Come in, come in, child. It is not often I get heads poking out of my walls, that are not ghosts.” He said, smiling, only to frown when she came in… holding young Ginny Weasley. “My goodness, has the charm failed?” He asked, but she shook her head as she lay down the younger female on his desk. 

  
  


“With good reason, Headmaster, I paralyzed her. I am sure Madame Pomfrey can reverse it with little issue.” Stheno said, before taking the book from Ginny’s pocket and giving it to the headmaster, who almost reeled back from the darkness within. He picked up, and after looking at the spine of the book he sighed. 

  
  


“Truly, Tom?” Dumbledore said, before putting it down. He then blinked and picked it up, going over to Fawkes who seemed to be glaring at the offending item. “If you would be so kind, my friend?” He asked, and Fawkes nearly snatched it before letting out a primal screech and vanishing. 

  
  


“Will she be alright, Headmaster?” Stheno asked, getting a slow nod from said man. “Shall I bring her to the hospital wing?” She asked, and he shook his head. Fawkes returning shortly after, looking pleased. 

  
  


“No, no. I shall bring her, but thank you, my dear. It could have done much more terrible damage to Ms. Weasley.” Dumbledore said, before he gently purged the venom and put her to sleep all at once. “I will make sure it is kept in the utmost confidence.” He said, and Stheno nodded in thanks, before leaving. A potential crisis averted. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> And… I don’t know where else to go with this. I mean, there are many ways I can go, but, I think I've taken long enough with this snippet. I don’t even remember when I started it. Either way, here it is. Read, review, enjoy. Til next time! 


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